Caution if giving Menactra with Prevenar 13 vaccine

When giving meningococcal and pneumococcal vaccines, the quadrivalent meningococcal vaccine Menactra (conjugate vaccine) should preferably be given at a four-week gap from Prevenar 13 to reduce the risk of blunting of the immune response to some of the pneumococcal serotypes from the conjugate in the vaccine.

Note that this does not apply to the quadrivalent meningococcal vaccine Nimenrix, the B vaccine Bexsero or any other meningococcal vaccine on the NZ market, which can all be given at the same time as any pneumococcal vaccine.¹

This Gem has been checked by Professor Nikki Turner from IMAC at the University of Auckland.